Taiwan (Chinese Taipei) at the Olympics
Taiwan or Chinese Taipei first competed at the Olympic Games in 1956. Before that time, Taiwan was represented at the Olympics between 1924 to 1948 by the team from the Republic of China.
From 1956 until 1972 they competed under the title The Republic of China (ROC). The ROC boycotted the Olympics starting from the 1976 Summer Games until it returned to the 1984 Winter Games, and from that time participated as Chinese Taipei.
In 1960, Chinese Taipei won its first-ever Olympic medal when Yang Chuan-kwang won the silver in men's decathlon in Rome, Italy. Eight years later, they again took home an Olympic medal when hurdler Chi Cheng won the bronze in the women's 80 meters.
Chinese Taipei passed on the 1976 and 1980 Summer Games but came back in 1984 and won another bronze when weightlifter Wen-Yee Tsai placed third in the men's featherweight division. They were not able to win a medal in 1988 despite sending 61 athletes but they did win one in the next Summer Games.
As a matter of fact, starting 1992, Chinese Taipei has consistently won at least one Olympic medal in every Summer Games. They had their first taste of Olympic gold though in 2004 Athens Olympics when Chu Mu-yen and Chen Shih-hsin both dominated their divisions. Taekwondo jin Chu Mu-yen won the men's 58 kg division by defeating Oscar Francisco Salazar Blanco of Mexico while Chen Shih-hsin won against Cuban Yanelis Yuliet Labrada Diaz in the women's 49 kg division. Both became Chines Taipei's first-ever Olympic gold medalist in August 26, 2004.
They have also participated in the Winter Games since 1972 missing only the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, USA. Despite their almost perfect attendance record in the Winter Olympics, Chinese Taipei is yet to win their first-ever Olympic medal from the Winter Games.
Trivia
- In 1976, Canada barred the Republic of China (Taiwan) team from the country, then allowed them to enter if they agreed not to compete as "the Republic of China". The Taiwanese considered this unacceptable and subsequently withdrew from the Games.
Related Pages
- Taiwan at the Winter Olympics
- About China at the Olympic Games, and Republic of China at the Olympics.
- List of all countries that have participated at the Olympic Games.
- Taiwan at the Winter Olympics
- About sport in Taiwan
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